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Marine forecasts now available on Met Office mobile website

#metoffice – UK Marine forecasts are now available for the first time on the Met Office's recently updated and improved mobile website.

Featuring marine observations, shipping forecasts and high seas forecasts, as well as storm and gale warnings, the new Met Office mobile website has the core information needed for mariners all over the UK.

The mobile website is a graphics-light version of the main Met Office web site and includes the following content:
• Marine forecasts and observations
• NSWWS warnings
• UK 5-day forecasts
• UK observations
• Latest Met Office news
• Latest video forecast
• 'Report severe weather' – a link to the mobile WOW site for people to input weather impact information
• Links with social media

Derek Ryall, Head of the Public Weather Service says, "Accurate, consistent and localised forecasts available from all devices – these were the priorities highlighted by mariners. As a result of the feedback we have taken steps to make accessing warnings and forecasts from the Met Office easier than ever before.

"With the new range of improvements to our mobile app, mobile website and main website during the year, mariners will be able to access up to the minute information that will help to keep them safe and prepared whether on or off-shore."

The Met Office is the UK's National Weather Service, providing 24x7 world-renowned scientific excellence in weather, climate and environmental forecasts and severe weather warnings for the protection of life and property. www.metoffice.gov.uk

Published in Weather

#SAFETY AT SEA - How do you use weather forecasts to plan your leisure time on the water? 

The RNLI asks all water users in the UK and Ireland to take a quick 10-minute survey by the UK's Met Office.

Its results will help meteorologists and rescue teams to better understand sea users in order to give better water safety advice and save more lives through preventative action. 

Take the survey HERE by 3 December.

Going out on the water can be a lot of fun, and is a way of life in coastal communities around the UK and Ireland. But the sea can be an unpredictable and dangerous place. 

Taking some simple precautions can make your time on the water even more enjoyable, and reduce your chances of getting into trouble.

The RNLI has an interactive publication, Sea Safety: The Complete Guide, which is essential reading for anyone who finds themselves drawn to the water.

Published in Water Safety

#FERRY NEWS – With travel disruption to some Irish Sea ferry services due to the severe weather conditions battering across the country, the following ferry operator's website links below provide the latest sailing schedules and contact details.

It is also advisable to contact the ferry operator to inquire about the port check-in time prior to setting off. For further information click over each of the route as highlighted below.

In addition to keep abreast of weather warning updates click www.met.ie/ and www.metoffice.gov.uk/

 

IRISH FERRIES

Central Reservations Tel: 0818 300 400 OR

Rosslare Tel: (053) 9133158

Dublin-Holyhead

Rosslare-Pembroke Dock

Rosslare-Cherbourg: Sailings have been temporarily suspended due to annual dry-docking of the cruiseferry Oscar Wilde. Sailings resume with the first departure in 2012 from Rosslare on 19th February and the corresponding return sailing from Cherbourg is scheduled for 21st February. For timetable click HERE.

 

STENA LINE

Tel:  (01) 204 77 99 when travelling to Britain OR

Tel:  00 44 (0) 8705 755 755 when travelling to Ireland or Scotland.

Dublin Port-Holyhead

Dun Laoghaire-Holyhead Note: the high-speed (HSS) route remains suspended until April or May 2012.

Rosslare-Fishguard

Belfast-Liverpool (Birkenhead)

Belfast-Cairnryan

 

P&O Ferries

Tel: 00 353 (0)1 407 3434

Larne-Cairnryan

Dublin-Liverpool

Larne-Troon. Note: the 'Express' fast-ferry craft operated route is due to re-open in March 2012.

 

KINTYRE EXPRESS

Tel: 00 44 1586 555 895

Ballycastle-Campbeltown

Note: FOOT-PASSENGER ONLY fast-RIB craft service which is currently operating to a winter service (October 2011-April 2012) which runs only on Friday's and Monday's.

 

CELTIC LINK FERRIES

Tel: (053) 916 2688

Rosslare-Cherbourg

 

FASTNET LINE

Tel:  (021) 437 8892 OR UK 00 44 (0) 844 576 8831

Cork-Swansea

Note: The Celtic Sea route is due to re-open on 6th April 2012 with a sailing from Swansea.

Published in Ferry
"Phenomenal" ocean conditions will be of grave concern to vessels in Irish waters from tomorrow evening as Hurricane Katia makes its approach to Ireland.
As the Irish Independent reports, Met Éireann has considered issuing a severe weater warning today, predicting winds of up to 160kmph and sea flooding on the west coast from Donegal Bay to the Shannon estuary.
On the east coast, winds are expected to reach 130kmph in Dublin on Monday, raising the threat of falling trees and "excessive damage" to property.
The UK Met Office has already taken the rare step of issuing an extreme weather alert for the whole of Ireland.
The category one hurricane is carrying winds of up to 145kmph as it crosses the Atlantic, and is expected to make landfall on the northern half of Ireland tomorrow night.
The Irish Independent has more on the story HERE.

"Phenomenal" ocean conditions will be of grave concern to vessels in Irish waters from tomorrow evening as Hurricane Katia makes its approach to Ireland.

As the Irish Independent reports, Met Éireann has considered issuing a severe weater warning today, predicting winds of up to 160kmph and sea flooding on the west coast from Donegal Bay to the Shannon estuary.

On the east coast, winds are expected to reach 130kmph in Dublin on Monday, raising the threat of falling trees and "excessive damage" to property.

The UK Met Office has already taken the rare step of issuing an extreme weather alert for the whole of Ireland.

The category one hurricane is carrying winds of up to 145kmph as it crosses the Atlantic, and is expected to make landfall on the northern half of Ireland tomorrow night.

The Irish Independent has more on the story HERE.

Published in Weather

Dublin Bay Sailing Club Turkey Shoot Winter Series

Dublin Bay Sailing Club's Turkey Shoot Series reached its 20th year in 2020.

The popular yacht series racing provides winter-racing for all the sailing clubs on the southside of Dublin Bay in the run-up to Christmas.

It regularly attracts a fleet of up to 70 boats of different shapes and sizes from all four yachts clubs at Dun Laoghaire: The National Yacht Club, The Royal St. George Yacht Club, The Royal Irish Yacht Club and the Dun Laoghaire Motor Yacht Club as well as other clubs such as Sailing in Dublin. Typically the event is hosted by each club in rotation.

The series has a short, sharp format for racing that starts at approximately 10 am and concludes around noon. The event was the brainchild of former DBSC Commodore Fintan Cairns to give the club year-round racing on the Bay thanks to the arrival of the marina at Dun Laoghaire in 2001. Cairns, an IRC racer himself, continues to run the series each winter.

Typically, racing features separate starts for different cruiser-racers but in fact, any type of boat is allowed to participate, even those yachts that do not normally race are encouraged to do so.

Turkey Shoot results are calculated under a modified ECHO handicap system and there can be a fun aspect to some of the scoring in keeping with the Christmas spirit of the occasion.

As a result, the Turkey Shoot often receives entries from boats as large as Beneteau 50 footers and one designs as small as 20-foot flying Fifteens, all competing over the same course.

It also has legendary weekly prizegivings in the host waterfront yacht clubs immediately after racing. There are fun prizes and overall prizes based on series results.

Regular updates and DBSC Turkey Shoot Results are published on Afloat each week as the series progresses.

FAQs

Cruisers, cruising boats, one-designs and boats that do not normally race are very welcome. Boats range in size from ocean-going cruisers at 60 and 60 feet right down to small one-design keelboats such as 20-foot Flying Fifteens. A listing of boats for different starts is announced on Channel 74 before racing each week.

Each winter from the first Sunday in November until the last week before Christmas.

Usually no more than two hours. The racecourse time limit is 12.30 hours.

Between six and eight with one or two discards applied.

Racing is organised by Dublin Bay Sailing Club and the Series is rotated across different waterfront yacht clubs for the popular after race party and prizegiving. The waterfront clubs are National Yacht Club (NYC), Royal Irish Yacht Club (RIYC), Royal St George Yacht Club (RSGYC) and Dun Laoghaire Motor Yacht Club (DMYC).

© Afloat 2020